How about we start a Hives thread. anyone with hives or past experiences with hive please post treatments, or solutions. Hives includes reactions from heat, cold, pressure, scratching, that produces red skin, swelling, or welts. All information is helpful and much appreciated.

I'll start by saying I've had Hives due to pressure and scratching which is called Dermatographism, Antihistimines seem to be the best solution but im trying to find which would work the best. I also need to find an antihistimine that I can take for long periods of time. But if there is something wrong with the body then there must be a cause right? I think I will start looking into allergy testing. I've heard of thyriod problems causing hives, anyone know about this? Any other triggers that I havn't mentioned would be useful. Please people respond! Some of us are in desperate need of advice. Later all.

Apparently my parents recall me never having hives before I took a dosage of penicillin. Obviously this is the culprit as it happened both times I tried the penicillin. I'm just wondering why I didn't hear of this sooner. Has anyone ever heard of a connection between penicillin and hives. What about ways in which I could be absorbing penicillin everyday. thanks alot.

I've had hives for about 15 years.I get mostly Aquagenic Urticaria,Dermatographism,and Cholinergic Urticaria.I also get them from certain (Mostly spicy) foods when succeptable.I don't take medication for it.After this long I have learnt to just ignore them.Sometimes if I get some really itchy ones though that I can't mentally fight off I find that if I take my Sonicare toothbrush with an old soft toothnbrush in it and go over the area(over top clothes) about 5-10 minutes the itch will go away.This works best for me and avoids them bloody scratchmarks from scratching yourself to death.
AVOID ALL ALCOHOL .Alcohol is the WORST thing you can take when you have hives.Do not drink one beer,no once a month shot.DO NOT TOUCH ALCOHOL.

Another thing,try not to take too much Vitamin C ,Zinc vitamins or any of those immune system boosters like Echinichea.

Hi, I am new to this board. I thought I would share my hives experience.

I have had chronic hives for 13 years. I have been to several dermatologists and have tried everything imaginable over the years.

The first Dermatologist to give me a diagnosis was so excited about the demography he was making on my back that he called in several others to have a look-see. Scared me to death! I didn't know what he was talking about.

For the last 3 years I have taken 5mgs of Zertec at night and when I have a flare up I take 10mgs Zertec and 50 mgs. benadryl.

I know that the hives started with a hormone problem. I kept telling my OBGYN that I got hives mid-cycle around the time I should ovulate. She said that didn't have anything to do with it.

So about 9 years later I had a full-blown hormone testing done and found I am severely estrogen and progesterone deficient.
I take HRT and it helps some with the hives and much with the other symptoms of hormone problems. But I still get hives sometimes.

Things I know triggers them is too much stress, grass outside and almonds (I think).
I
t is so frustrating!
I was diagnosis with fibromyalgia last July. The Dr. I see for that says that hives can be one of the symptoms. I laughed because everything is a symptom of FM! Its not funny, I have a lot of pain various other strange symptoms but it seemed like, why not? I think I am getting cynical,sorry.
Blessings,
Kathy

I have had hives for 8 months now, nearly everyday.
Mostly contained to arms, legs and chest, but have at times been widespread and covering 90% of my body.
I have been tested by a very reputable allergist who found nothing, all my bloodwork came back normal.
I am on Allegra 180mg twice daily and Zyrtec 10mg at night. I still get hives, but perhaps not as bad as would be with no antihistamines.
I am at the end of my rope and am considering consulting an ND but am afraid i'll come up empty yet again.

If your throat swelled up in your case it was probably an allergic reaction to the Echinacea .

Wow, justwondering..

I'm allergic to penicillin also!! I just found this out today. This is the first time I've ever had hives, and the first allergy I have ever had.

It took 3 small pills of Amoxicillin to make my whole body errupt with these red bumps.. the itching is horrible!!

Worst thing, though, is that the doctor forgot to sign my prescription for Benedryl.. so I probably won't find relief until late tomorrow. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/tired.gif

He also gave me some steroids while I was at the hospital. I don't know if he's giving me more of those.. are they particularly dangerous? Anyone know?

Oh, also, I've heard that lukewarm oatmeal baths help greatly with itching. Can anyone back this up?

Amoxicillin is what I had taken as well and I erupted in hives. What is strange for my case is that Penicillin gave me hives that happened on their own without any scratching etc. but now I get welts, hives, from scratching and any sort of trauma to my skin. Very weird. I still have not made it to my doc again, I was at a derm before and he had no advice, I'll end up seeing an allergy doc soon enough. good luck everyone.

I'm 18 years old and have had something similiar to hives for the past 3 years. I can get them from walking around on a hot day, anything active, taking a hot shower. Usually on my inner forearms, around the bicep, back, legs, stomach.

I take benadryl and alavert and still get them, maybe not as bad. I'm going to the beach at the end of this month and feel limited as to what I can do because of this crap. Any help, suggestions?

[This message has been edited by moderator2 (edited 05-11-2003).]

I posted a few weeks ago regarding chronic hives, and through a great deal of research, I came across something pretty interesting. While this may sound like unproven malarchy, it makes sense to me. I corresponded with someone with the ol' "Every Single Day" variety hives, and she, like myself, had taken Depo-Provera shots. While this may not seem like a great connection, her remedy was impressive. She saw some doctor who thought that perhaps her LIVER was too full of toxins. Well...in the past few days, I have eaten "liver friendly" foods and have cut down on meds (except Allegra, which is not metabolized in the liver) and I have seen some improvement. I am not willing (scared) to quit anti-histamines cold turkey (even though most of them are metabolized in the liver), nor am I going to start taking ANYTHING ELSE (like liver detox herbs, etc.), but it can't hurt to try to help the liver out because like I said, it makes sense to me. Another interesting thing I've come across is that women are more likely to have hives than men. Maybe this is because of hormones, and women on birth control or hormone therapy are sure to have harder working livers. I do not profess myself to be an expert, but some things seem to add up. For example, maybe my diet of processed food and diet drinks wasn't being tolerated well by my liver. I'm sure three months of hormones in one shot didn't help it out. Nor did binge drinking. Anyway, I just thought this was enlightening, and I assure you, my doctorS NEVER suggested anything of the kind. I'm just hoping that maybe I've found an answer. Check out the internet for symptoms of a "sluggish liver." You will find that hives are always a sign.
Good luck to you, and if anyone has any other ideas about this, I'd like to know. I'm simply hopeful and tired of all of the medication and itching.
M.R.

OH...I wanted to add one more thing. If your liver is overflowing with toxins, I understand that it makes the body more prone to allergic reactions. It is possible that once the liver is working properly, allergic reactions to everyday things might not appear. I was interested in this because I am 33 years old and have NEVER been allergic to anything in my life. I realize that a person can develop allergies, but like I wrote in the other post, I have tried many antihistamines and am taking all kinds of medications, but I still have had many hives EVERY DAY! I also find it interesting that Allegra has worked the best for me and it's NOT metabolized by the liver. Hmmm...could be.
Good luck all!

what are some liver friendly foods that you tried?

What might be the most valuable food on earth is the Sweet Potato! It is liver friendly. Crunchy vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower are good...celery...soy...Oh...FLAX SEEDS are supposed to be really helpful. Oatmeal...that sort of thing. Use honey or blackstrap molasses instead of refined sugar. NO ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS! I've also read that you should eliminate or cut out caffeine and dairy products. I've just been eating whole foods and organic when I can find it. I think processed foods are REALLY bad. Alcohol obviously... Cigarettes (which I pychologically need now more than ever). Tylenol and any drugs which are metabolized by the liver are obviously not good. Allegra is not metabolized by the liver. Like I wrote, I THINK that if your liver is given a break, it could eliminate some of its workload and perhaps allergies would subside. I HOPE! I really want several White Russians and a Pepperoni Pizza about now...maybe some Twinkies. BUT! I have flax seeds and sweet potatoes and endless glasses of WATER, so I guess I shouldn't complain! I have seen a bit of improvement, and whether this is liver connected is a mystery to me. On the internet there is a lot made about some Dr. Cabot who wrote a book on liver cleansing. It costs 20 bucks, so I just figured I'd eat the foods I found listed that are liver friendly. Incidentally, the liver is the main fat burning organ in the human body, and if one's liver is "sluggish," weight loss is much more difficult. I am not interested in this aspect even though I put on 30 pounds last year (I blame Depo-Provera and Hershey's chocolate). So...I'm sure I left out a ton of other things, but you can check on the internet. One day I hope to have no hives and the ability to use Coffee Mate and drink 100% caffeinated coffee. The good news, though, is that I have seen some improvement in the last couple of days. It's not tremendous, but I suppose it could take some time. I'm just terrified to take any more Herbal crap and I'm sure as hell not going to take a liver detox concoction. I tried a "Nettle Root" supplement, and I swear it made it worse. Sweet Potatoes...they are my key to sanity. It is so incredibly difficult these days to eat well. Everything seems to be processed with all kinds of junk, and it's no wonder that the body can only take so much. I know that a lot of cases of urticaria are idiopathic, but SOMETHING has to be at the root of it. If the liver is sluggish, it can lead to auto-immune problems, such as increased sensitivities to all sorts of things. My Dr. seems to think its something I'm ingesting that is causing the trouble. I've read that food allergies are not likely in cases of Chronic Hives, but I also figure that if medical science "doesn't know" what causes it, then it could be food. And maybe it is food, only because the liver is overloaded. Geez...I know I sound like some know-it-all, I'm not...I'm just HOPING that this will go away one day. I feel for people who have had this going on for many months and years. Well...I hope this is of some help. I know it has worked for at least ONE person, so it could work for many. Also, if you are female, DON'T GET A DEPO-SHOT! I had four over the course of a year, and I would bet what little money I have due to crazy priced anti-histamines that Depo kicked off my allergies. ANYWAY...good luck. AND, if anyone else had heard of this sort of thing, I would love to hear any further information. I'm willing to try anything that doesn't require me to take MORE medicine.

the liver detox concoction made your hives worse?

The Nettle Root supplement made it "seem" worse. I never took a liver cleansing mix for fear of a bad reaction. I was trying to eat whole foods etc., but yesterday I woke up looking like hell, and I ended up EATING OUT last night. It was nothing less than divine, and today I look much, much better than yesterday. So...I guess I didn't have the miracle solution after all. I'm convinced that the Depo-provera injection is my problem. I haven't had a cycle in almost a year, and I've been off of it for two months and still no sign of a monthly cycle. Apparently the depo stays in the body for about 200 days, so I'm just waiting. I have a feeling that when my hormones get balanced, I will not have these damned hives anymore. I feel like I'm in a perpetual state of PMS, and I can't explain why some days are better than others. It must be hormonal because hormones fluctuate on a daily basis. Also, my doctor is a little baffled that NOTHING is wrong with me and NOTHING (including steroids) stops my hives from appearing. He just kept telling me that SOMETHING was still "pushing my buttons" and it could very well be related to the great quantity of synthetic hormones being dumped into my body every three months. ANYWAY...at least my liver is probably thanking me!!! It can't hurt to eat healthier food. Good luck...

Re: the Hives Thread
I broke out with hives in Dec. of 2000, a rash like measles. Then it developed into a rash like poison oak. i didn't understand what the cause was. I couldn't make a connection to any one specific thing. I was undergoing radiation for parotid gland cancer. Dr's thought it was medication reaction. I was red for 6 months. (I now know they were using latex gloves ) After long term histamine meds I cleared up. Then I got hives after eating a banana. When I gave the history to my allergist he suspected latex allergy.
There are a lot of things in my daily life that contains latex (nrl) It has become a challenge to omit these items. I am very sensitive to any latex proteins. I also developed respitory problems, chest tightness, headaches, and abdominal pain. I almost always have redness, they call it uticaria. Hives are sporadic, I always get them after I've been exposed to balloons, if I eat food that has been handled by latex gloves, I get mouth hives. Elastic in undies, bras, and socks cause hives if it touches my skin. I cannot go into a grocery store because they use or sell balloons, or use latex gloves when they handle food.
I take meds daily. Zyrtek, and Zantec, Benadryl, and Doxiepen, when I have reactions I add prednisone, and always have three EpiPens with me.
Ora

This is a most interesting thread to me. I recently posted within this board on another "hive subject." Being, newly menopaual, I do believe that there is a histamine-hormone relationship in my case. I also believe, in my case, as stated by another 'sufferer' that my liver is being challenged. All of my blood work is good, except there is a slight elevation in my 2 liver enzymes..SGOT and SGPT. Since I've been tested for all sorts of autoimmune diseases and even hepatitis ...all of which were negative, I wonder if the hormonal shift at menopause is also creating some liver stress. I've read about the merits of Revival soy protein bars and powder and I am investigating that. Perhaps that will help to regulate my hormones and the liver can relax and the hives will clear up. Now wouldn't that be a happy remedy? Let me know what you think?
Blessings to you all,
Sunny

I agree that some cases might be related to a defiency of estrogen and progesterone.When I was taking progesterone for a while I noticed that all the things that usually cause my hives no longer caused them and I was hive free.Unfortunately though the progesterone caused me to have an increase in acne so that was out.

Yeah...it's all so weird. I mentioned that I had NEVER been allergic to anything except Codiene Cough Syrup...it made me itch. Clearly, I have drug sensitivities. Anyway, I took Depo for ONE year and looking back I remember every once in a while I noticed something on my ankle that looked like a ringworm. It would itch like crazy and disappear. I didn't know it was hive. It was, because THEN...one month after my fourth and LAST shot (when the depo reaches its peak serum level) I started with hives all over EVERY DAY, NO MATTER HOW MUCH MEDICINE I TAKE. I tried Clarinex and Zyrtec and Claritin and Periactin. At the moment I am taking Allegra, Atarax, Benadryl, and Sinequan. My Dr. is amazed that I am able to function. I am awake...but my brain is not what I'd call "sharp." I pretty much just watch a lot of TV. SO...now I'm hoping it is the Depo. When I saw my first and second doctor, one of the first things they asked me was if I was on the pill. I wish. I had to be a genius and take Depo-provera. WHY??? I could kick myself in the arse about now. I went from being a really laid back, well-adjusted individual to a monster. I gained 30 pounds, my night time vision became awful, I was easily agitated, anxious, etc. Basically, I had every side effect listed on the side effect list. I have since found out that about 1% of the people who take it develop urticaria. Lucky, lucky me. My point, at long last, is that my second doctor didn't think it was the depo because "it's just like what is already in your body." Yeah, right. It is a man made SYNTHETIC drug. All I'm saying is that it COULD be the depo. Believe me, if someone could actually TELL me what is causing these hives, I'd be more than happy to say, "Oh, okay...it's not the depo." Anyway, my doctor also thinks it's odd that NOTHING, not even 60mg a day of steroids kept the hives away. I guess not if there is a bunch of chemicals sitting in my body. Also, I cannot, at this time, begin to answer how I convinced myself that NOT having a period was OKAY. Geez, I never thought I'd look forward to having one, if it ever comes back. I'm just trusting that once my hormones are balanced and that crap is out of my system, I will be alright. Really, I am at a point where I would GLADLY take an antihistamine every day for the rest of my life if it would actually WORK. I live in Louisiana, and it's getting pretty HOT and I am still wearing jeans and long sleeved shirts every day because I look like a big splotchy mess every morning. BUT!!! I am thankful every morning when I wake up and my eyes and lips aren't swollen. I've had a handful of those mornings, and boy...GOOD TIMES! I just want to be my old self again. But, I know there are people who have much bigger problems than I do, so I should really shut up with my incessant whining. I guess I just feel like I can actually put this out there to people who have this problem, because people who have never had chronic hives cannot truly understand. ALSO, I suppose I have this tiny hope that one of you will tell me the magic answer http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif If I find it, I'll be sure to let you know! Good luck all...

I think you need to look in to alternative therapies such as homeopathy and herbal medicine, which can really help hives and other allergies. Also acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine too.

Homeopathy has no side effects and will not leave you feeling drugged as all the antihistamines do and could stop your susceptibility to hives in the first place.

I would suggest that you find a good Naturopathic Doctor to go and see and they practice all these therapies and can help you more naturally.

Good luck

Yeah, starting a hive room is a good idea.

Hi there,

I'm suffering from hives also, I think that's it at least. About 1.5 years ago I started getting really itchy everywhere, especially on my legs. I could never really figure out if I got red swollen patches because I scratched so much or if I was itchy because I got hives. My doctor says I'm allergic to pollen and grass and stuff like that and I already knew that because I'd always gotten hay fever in the summer. But all of the sudden the symptoms changed and it effected my skin. Anyway, I've been taking Zyrtec daily for the past year but since a couple of weeks I've been pretty itchy again. Not as bad as without Zyrtec but still bad enough to bother me.
Does anyone know if there's anything stronger than Zyrtec and has anybody had allergy shots? I've heard if you get those for at least 6 months you'r allergy symptoms start to get weaker and maybe even disappear completely!
Any thoughts are welcome! Thanks!

Hi there,

I'm suffering from hives also, I think that's it at least. About 1.5 years ago I started getting really itchy everywhere, especially on my legs. I could never really figure out if I got red swollen patches because I scratched so much or if I was itchy because I got hives. My doctor says I'm allergic to pollen and grass and stuff like that and I already knew that because I'd always gotten hay fever in the summer. But all of the sudden the symptoms changed and it effected my skin. Anyway, I've been taking Zyrtec daily for the past year but since a couple of weeks I've been pretty itchy again. Not as bad as without Zyrtec but still bad enough to bother me.
Does anyone know if there's anything stronger than Zyrtec and has anybody had allergy shots? I've heard if you get those for at least 6 months you'r allergy symptoms start to get weaker and maybe even disappear completely!
Any thoughts are welcome! Thanks!

Hi there,

I'm suffering from hives also, I think that's it at least. About 1.5 years ago I started getting really itchy everywhere, especially on my legs. I could never really figure out if I got red swollen patches because I scratched so much or if I was itchy because I got hives. My doctor says I'm allergic to pollen and grass and stuff like that and I already knew that because I'd always gotten hay fever in the summer. But all of the sudden the symptoms changed and it effected my skin. Anyway, I've been taking Zyrtec daily for the past year but since a couple of weeks I've been pretty itchy again. Not as bad as without Zyrtec but still bad enough to bother me.
Does anyone know if there's anything stronger than Zyrtec and has anybody had allergy shots? I've heard if you get those for at least 6 months you'r allergy symptoms start to get weaker and maybe even disappear completely!
Any thoughts are welcome! Thanks!

I can't suggest anything that will eradicate your hives and/or itchy splotches, but I do know that Atarax will help with the itching better than 2nd generation antihistamines. Apparently, the sleepier the drugs make you, the better they are at controlling the itch. This is how it works in my case. Also, antihistamines like claritin, zyrtec, and allegra come from different classes of antihistamines, so one might work better for you than another. You just have to try them out. I seem to be a medical oddity as NOTHING stops me from having hives every single day of my life. I take Allegra, Atarax, lots of Benadryl Dye Free (because it's cheaper than atarax and my doctor had become stingy with presecriptions; I think he thinks I'm a junkie or something. If he could feel the itch for 2 minutes, I'm sure he'd be more than happy to hook me up), and Sinequan, the master of sedating antihistamines. So, though I still have hives, I do not itch. I get plenty of rest and have an excuse to be extraordinarily lazy. It's not the most exciting life, but I'm naking the best of it! You know what I"D LIKE TO KNOW????? WHY?!?!?! do drugs prescribed for allergies have things added to them, like ARTIFICIAL COLORS and CORN STARCH and other crap? I realize that drugs have look different for identification purposes or what have you, but it seems ODD that ALLERGY MEDICATION is not totally devoid of potential allergens. I was just wondering. Who knows what makes Allegra Peach colored. Oh...if only it were my world and I had medical insurance.
Good luck to you...and again, if anyone has a miracle cure, please share!

I've been guzzling down LOTS of water, I only drink a soda once every few days over the past week or so..and I have not had an outbreak of hives since. I also started taking 3 benadryl at night instead of 2...2 the next afternoon and 1 throughout the day.

You said it yourself, that the drugs you are taking themselves have potential allergens in them.

As I keep on posting, go and look at the alternative therapies such as herbs and homeopathy, also acupuncture. They do work and will stop you having to fill up with drugs that have side effects too.

How many time do I have to keep posting this before anyone takes a blind bit of notice?

I really intend to go the natural route. I'm just in the process of moving to another state in a few weeks, and if THAT ALONE doesn't solve my problem, my next step is definitely a naturopathic doctor. I will admit that I'm actually terrified to stop taking meds though. When I got off of prednisone after a month, I had a few days of the most horrible hives EVER. Sooo...thank you for the advice. I certainly wasn't ignoring your idea.

I can understand that and I was just trying to make you aware that there are natural alternatives out there that do work.

It is only that long term steroid use (Prednisolone) carries a hell of a lot of side effects and can do you more harm than good in the long run. I would urge caution with steroid use.

Once you move States, I would seek out a good ND. It is just that homeopathy can be taken with all your current meds with absolutely no fear of any interactions and once the homeopathy starts working you will probably be able to reduce your other meds slowly.

Good luck

I do hope that I can get off of these drugs. I can't remember how it feels to be clear-headed. It would be nice to experience life in a normal fashion! It would also be nice not to have to spend what little money I have on Rxs. Are naturopathic doctors licensed medical doctors with a sub-specialty or is it a different sort of practice altogether? I suppose I'll have to ask around to find a reputable practitioner. I'm just frustrated today because with all of the stress of packing and taking care of last minute moving details, I am having HORRIBLE hives today. I look hideous, and I am itchy as hell. I guess being exhausted and stressed out doesn't conribute much to a recovery. OH! My first doctor had me on steroids (60 mg a day) for like five weeks...my dermatologist got me off of them really quickly. I haven't taken them since the end of February. After that rebound effect, I hardly had any hives at all for almost two months and only on my hands and feet. For the last six weeks or so, I have had a lot of trouble and the hives are EVERYWHERE. I just keep hoping I don't wake up with a swollen face. So far so good. Out of curiosity, did your hives (I assume you had hives) go away with natural remedies? Is there anything basic that you might suggest to me until I get settled? I'd certainly appreciate it!
Thanks

Basically, ND's are licenced to practice in their own right. They are trained as thoroughly as MD's with all the anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathology and diagnostic procedures, but then they have the extra training in homeopathy, naturopathy, herbal medicine and acupuncture. They are licenced as primary health care practitioners and can diagnose, but will then treat naturally rather than with conventional meds, which they are not allowed to prescribe. You can get MD's who are ND's also, but they are quite few and far between, as once you get stuck in the conventional model, you don't tend to leave unless really disillusioned.

A lot of ND's trained at Bastyr in Seattle or Bridgeport, so if you find an ND who went there, they are likely to be ok. My ND trained at Bastyr.

Yes, I did have hives in conjunction with stomach problems too. I did a liver detox and took remedies to detox my liver and I was a lot better. In alternative terms, if your liver gets overloaded by having to detox, then it can produce symptoms such as hives and stomach problems.

Simple things would be to look at your diet. I had to cut a lot out to help, such as dairy, wheat, coffee and alcohol and include more fresh food such as fruit, veg and salads and chicken, no read meat or at least, not a lot. I then did a homeopathic detox for about three weeks using a special detox kit that my ND gave me. This included Nux Vomica for the liver, Berberris for the kidneys and Lymphosat for the lymphatic system. He then started to give me a series of remedies that had an affinity for the liver and I started to feel a lot better. It took a little time though, but it did work and I now have no more hives or stomach problems. I also used to get allergic type asthma and this was helped by acupuncture and enabled me to stop using all my inhalers and I have no problems there either.

These are just some simple measures to try and help. Looking at your diet is one and also stress can make a lot of these cases a lot worse. Also, if you like you could try taking some homeopathic APIS. This can act as a homeopathic antihistamine and could help you to stop itching.

Also, Milk Thistle is a herbal capsule that is extremely good for the liver. It helps it to detox more effectively and can help hepatocyte regeneration. It is safe and will not have any drug interactions. Helping your liver to detox better can help hives and all types of skin problems.

Be careful with what you eat to, in that sometimes is may be better for you to eat cool foods rather than hot foods, also cutting out spicy foods. It is just that with eczema and skin problems you probably have too much heat in your body and rather than adding to it, it is a good idea to let some out.

I know this may seem a little crazy, but get your partner to get a siliver/metal spoon. A medium sized one will do. Sit upright and then get them to rub the spoon down your back. Not up and down but vigorously in downward motions and you will probably see great big red marks appearing on your back. This will be excess heat coming out of your body and anything metal will do this, as it attracts the heat. Tell them to continue this for a bit until the redness fades. Once you have let this heat out you should be able to run the spoon down the back without any further red marks. Once this heat has been let out, then you should start to feel better.

I know this seems really crazy, but just try it and see and it does work. It is a concept from Japanese style acupuncture, which is very fine.

Hope this helps and good luck with the move?

Sarah, thanks for the help.

Do you have the names of any homeopathic detox kits I can buy?

Yes, there is a homeopathic detox kit that is produced by Heels. I think they are a German company. This includes 3 remedies in tincture form, NUX VOMICA for your stomach and bowels generally, BERBERRIS for your kidneys and LYMPHOSAT for your lymphatic system.

You may have to order this online from one of the homeopathic pharmacies. There are American online one, but also the two in England are very good also. Try them and they should be able to order the kit for you and send it to you.

Good luck

I just got my milk thistle order in today. SHould I start taking immediately or wait on my detox shipment to arrive?

Maybe just wait until your detox kit arrives and start off with that and then go from there. The detox should last for about 3 weeks and if my memory serves me right you need to put 10 drops of each tincture into a 500 ml bottle of water and sip it. You need to do this three times daily, so you will in effect be drinking 1.5 litres daily. Sometimes the effect can be quite strong, so you can start off with perhaps one bottle daily and then work your way up to three daily and this should last about 3 weeks to a month.

Once you have done the detox, this should then allow any other homeopathic remedies that you take to work at a deeper level. You can start the Milk Thistle after this, as whilst doing the detox, the Nux Vomica will give your stomach and bowels the detox that they need anyway.

Hope this helps and good luck with it?

okay, i'll try that. i have to wait until monday to get my detox kit, its at the post office.

should i continue to take benadryl? if i don't the hives get pretty out of hand.

i also take a medicine called alavert.

What you can do is try a homepathic alternative to help the hives. APIS is a good treatment for hives and will treat the swelling, the itching and such like on a short term basis. You can try this for short term relief and see if it works.

Good luck

Do be careful if you seek a Naturopathic Dr. when taking meds. There are so many herbs that CAN NOT be taken with meds. Most Herbs are not FDA approved and my sister went to an ND and he had her on all kinds of herbs and it moxed with her meds and she had fallin very ill because of the interaction that the herbs and meds had when they were mixed. Don't get me wrong, ND's are great Dr's to go to if you're not on meds!

N2golf, just hang on a minute and ensure that you are talking about the same thing?

I was not talking about herbs and I was advising him about HOMEOPATHIC remedies, of which APIS is one that is extremely good for hives. Homeopathic remedies are totally different from herbal remedies and have absolutely no side effects or drug interactions whatsoever. The basic difference is that herbal remedies do have a physical effect on the body and as you quite rightly said, can have very serious side effects and drug interactions. However, all homepathic remedies are potentised and do not work on the body in the same way as herbs do, so there are no side effects or drug interactions.

As I know about homeopathy, I recommended this instead of herbs, knowing the dangers, however, he did say that he was only taking antihistamine medication at present. The detox kit that I recommended is also homeopathic, so again, no side effects like there would be with herbs.

Also, ND's have a full and thorough training up to diagnostic level and even pharmacology and do placements as internets on the hospital wards, so it is not unlike MD training in that respect. This training should make them aware of drug interactions with herbal prescriptions and they should not be giving thousands of remedies so that they interact in this way. Normally, as far as I am aware, only about 5 to 7 herbs are made up into a tincture form to take, so you would take about 20 drops in water upto three times daily. Anymore and this could be dangerous, however, they should know full well about conventional meds and herbal interactions and have the training to recognise this.

Perhaps your sister should have changed her ND when this happened or should have considered homeopathy as an alternative instead?

This is exactly the reason that I recommended homeopathy instead of herbal medicine, because homeopathy is different and does not have the inherant dangers that herbs can have in the hands of someone who does not know what they are doing.


[This message has been edited by Sarah68 (edited 06-03-2003).]

I have finally eliminated my chronic hives that I had for 15 years.This is what I'm taking.
1)100 mg.Spironolactone,it seems some of my hive reactions were from hormones.Although I'm not sure how the Spironolactone worked to help but it did.
2)Dry Vitamin E ,Dry Vitamin A vitamins
3)Pure Aloevera geltabs,I cut them open and apply the gel all over my body while body is still wet from shower.

Things I avoid,
1)Zinc supplements,Vitamin C supplements,any kind of oil supplement
2)All lotions and creams and body oils and deodorant(you only need deodorant if you stink,if you don't stink,don't use it)I use to stink when I was younger but now that I'm older I have discovered that I don't stink anymore and don't need it. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/biggrin.gif You might discover this too.
3)Bodywashes,harsh soaps
4)All fruit high in Vitamin C, (will eat occasionally though cause I love it too much)
5)alcohol

This is what has helped me to overcome them 100%.Taking the Spirolactone has enabled me to eat a LOT of foods that I use to be sensitive too or there would be more on the list.

I am itching and developing a rash with hives. The rash starts in my private areas, rectum and vagina, and then breaks out on my arms, legs and trunk. I suspect that the problem is caused by something I'm taking...supplements and Vitamins. Can somebody help me with detective work? I take:

Zinc 50 mg daily
Vitamin C 1000mg daily
Flax Oil 1000 mg (twice daily)
5 HTP 50 mg daily
Citracal (2) daily
SAM-e 200mg (twice daily)
Mega Vitamin for women without iron daily
Ginseng 500 mg daily
Noni 400 mg (twice daily)

Help! Something is making me itch in places I do not want to be caught scratching!

Thanks, ELB

i have read zinc and vitamin c can cause hives

hey guys, does anyone know about reactions to pencillin and the hives that go along with them? is there anyway to get rid of them or even help with the itching?

Yes, stop taking the Penicillin.

raeisanothing...penicillin is a common allergen; it is frequently linked to skin reactions such as hives. Fortunately, you haven't experienced a life-threatening reaction yet. You should really inform your doctor about the hives, and perhaps you can take something else for the infection. You don't want to risk your throat swelling up to where you can't breathe!

I'm sure this isn't the best news, but be thankful that you are aware of what has caused the hives! I know I would be thrilled to know why I have mine.

I'd say the over the counter antihistamine that has worked best for me (for itching)is Benadryl. It quickly alleviates the itching. Claritin is OTC and nonsedating, but I don't find that it works as well as Benadryl to control the infernal itch. Anyway...if you're sick, you may have taken off of work or school, so hopefully you can take some Benadryl and get some rest.

But...talk to your doctor about the penicillin reaction. Also, the prescription antihistamine Atarax is really effective for itching. Your doctor might be able to prescribe some for you. It, too, is sedating, but it works even better than Benadryl.

Good luck!

Well I'm back, and with a wealth of new knowledge from my allery doctor. Basicly I got allery tested by them applying small drops of allergins(mold,dust,aniamls,trees,food) and then pricking the skin at the drop of liquid. They arranged them in rows and it was kinda cool. They did apply a histimine dot to make sure I was off anti-histamines. All I can say is 15 minutes of them leaving it on, the itch was horrible. After learning a few things I was allergic too,Dust,cat,and mold, and some things I could possibly be allergic to, wheat,beans(including peanut), and lesser extent dairy, (also i say possibly because they tell you they get false positives on food sometimes) I waited to see the doctor. When I talked to him he introduced to me a whole different theory on the cause of my dermatographia. Could it be possible that he was right I was thinking the whole time. He asked my mom if I was born with this condition, when she said no he mentioned how it could be a buildup of susbstances that my body WAS NOT allergic to, but sensitive to, and that I could be stuck in a cycle where my body is not clean of that sensitivity and build up to the point where it goes over the edge and releases all the histamines, which then when my skin is scratched these histamines flow out and cause the welts. So he amazes me with this hope, I know not to keep my hopes high though, Ive had it for 10 years. He perscribes me Hydroxyzine and tells me to take it once at night, then in the morning take 1 10mg reactine and my antacid that I combine with my reactine to block even more histamines, Famotodine(or something like that). He said if we can break the cycle of Histamines we might be able to see better whats bothering me, but at the end he said, lets stop this. So I know i have a doctor to go back too. We'll I'll be darn sure to keep everyone updated. I know there will be some excited people out there.

Im sorry, my repeated sayings of doctor were incorrect, he is an allergist. Also if this matters he refered to me as 3X more sensitive than the average human relating to the effects of skin trauma. That should help give you a sense of my condition. It is a form of hives though, Physical Urticaria.

My son suddenly had hives one day some eight years ago.He is now 21 years old. When we moved to another house it all suddenly disappeared again. This was after many visits to doctors and after taking lots of anti histamine as well as cortizone.

About a year and a half ago, he decided to move. Within a month the hives were back and he was scratching like never before.

He moved back to our house this month but is still covered in hives. He got a new, very expensive, product from a doctor but cannot afford it anymore as his medical aid benefit is used up for this year. Now we are trying again to find some natural way to get rid of the itching and hives.

He gets the hives very bad. His face will become misform , it looks like someone has hit him. His eyes are swollen closed, his lips are swollen. The medical aid will not see this as a chronic condition. He gets the hives all over his body.

I can remember that my mother gave hime watermellons years ago and that it helped to take the hives away.
He ate about 2 thick round slices a day. When he stopped, the hives were back.

I can remember that we took him to a paediatrician one evening, when the hives were also very bad. He gave him an adrenalin injection which took away all the hives in a short time. He said that I should obtain some of these injections and give the shots to him when it becomes necassary. We did not do it as I really can't do it. Is there anyone that have tried this before?

Does anyone now of any other natural products that can be taken? I believe a great deal in Flowers of Sulphur for any skin problems. A quarter teaspoon can be swallowed with water twice a day or a teaspoon full can be mixed with a bottle of Elizabeth Anne's baby shampoo and be rubbed onto the skin. Has anyone tried this for the hives before? It definitely helped me for my acne when I was still at school. When this powder is swallowed, it will even clear up boils.

I am just a mother, feeling very sorry for her son. I asked him to try it but he is very stubborn.

Has anyone tried Essentiale, a liver tonic? Please let me know if it helped.

Good day

My son started to get these hives and itching about 8 years ago. He was 13 then. He is 21 now. His whole body was covered in these red swollen, itching hives. His face would become misform, having swollen eyes and lips and then the scratching....

We had no idea what caused it. We took him for several tests at different doctors, even to a pathologist to see him. All his blood tests came back negative.

We tried to eliminate certain food types but it had no effect. I changed the washing powder but it did not help. I let him bath in dettol, got him special soap but also this did not help.

About 5 years ago we moved to a house with more tiles than carpets. I bought him a new bed and we left the plastic on it. I always put (purple) spirits in the water to wash the tiles, hoping it will kill any unseen pests. Then all of a sudden he had no more hives and itching.

The beginning of last year he moved and left his plastic covered bed at home. He stayed in a house with all carpets.Within a month he was worse than ever before.

This month he moved back. The doctor prescribed him a new, very expensive, antihistamine Mizollen. This was very good for him as it did not make him sleepy or drowsy. He works with machinery and can loose a limb if he is not carefull. Unfortunately his medical aid will not see his condition as a chronic one and now all his benefits are used up for this year. He cannot afford it on his salary.

Did anyone use Essentiale, a liver tonic for this condition?

As Flowers of Sulphur cleanses the blood and can clear up boils, acne and sists, I want to know if anyone has tried it for this condition.For boils,acne and sists one can use a quarter teaspoon of this yellow powder and swallow it with some water, thrice a day. One can also mix a teaspoon of it with a bottle of Elizabeth Anne's baby shampoo and rub it onto the skin every morning and night.(It does not mix very easily). This is a very cheap product, but very pure. All chemists stock it.

Once he had the hives so bad a doctor injected him with adrenalin. He said that I should give him a shot whenever he needed it but I could not. Was anyone else treated by this method previously. I know that it works quickly to clear up the skin and take the itching away.(But someone will first have to train me to do it)

When he ate watermellons it seemed to help. While eating 2 thick slices a day he was clear, but when he stopped it returned.

Now we heard that there are shots named Hista Globin and that it can take it away for ever. This is also very expensive. Each shot will be a fifth of my son's salary and one should get a shot for between 4 to 6 weeks. Anyone had this before? Did it work?

Hope to hear from someone soon!

I had hives off and one since I was a child. I went to teh MAyo clinic and found out that salicylates (occures naturally in most fruits and veggies), food coloring, preservatives, vitamins made it much worse. I was on a diet free of those and they eventually went away until I was about 28. Then they came back. I had them for severl years many doctors telling me it was stress related or psychosomatic. Finally, an immunologist in Denver had heard of a connection between thyroid adn hives. I was tested and I had Graves disease. Thyroid tests had been done before, but just TSH and it was consisdered in the "normal range." It wasn't until they did the antibody test did they know something was going on. Once my thyroid was treated and at the normal level, the hives went away, and I could eat the foods again and take the vitamins.
Then after I had my baby and my period resumed, the hives came back even through my thyroid is at a normal level. It has to be hormone related, because I too had unbearable hives about 2 weeks before my peroid every month. Just not sure what to do about it now... very frustrating because I thought i had it taken care of with the thyroid thing. My sister also has hives when her thyroid is out of wack.

My son is now back home for just a little longer than a month.

Because his medical aid was used up we had to go for something cheaper. He then started to use a half of a Clarinese 10mg tablet a day. It is a anti histamine tablet, a so called new generation anti histamine. He said that he did not have any side effects while using only half a tablet a day. It is now more than a week that he has been clear. He has not taken any medicine, even the Clarenese, for more than a week.

He is sleeping on his bed covered with plastic and the house has mostly tiles. Nothing else. No special diet, no special washing powder or soap. I had mentioned to him about alcohol, penicilen, sink and vitamin C that I have read here. He does not take any additional vitamins and he is a non-smoker, non-drinker.

Thank you all for the information on your conditions and I hope that you will too get to know what is causing your hives and itching. Definitely it must be dust mites in the case of my son.

Hi there! I have had chronic uticaria for the past three years, and I find all of your stories fascinating. This has been so frustrating for me...trying to figure out what has been going on to cause this to happen to my body. I recently had a baby in March, and throughout my entire pregnancy I was basically hive free. The day after my son was born, they miraculously came back. My allergist is convinced its hormone related, and says that is very common. I have been taking 10mg of Zyrtec every night...however when I was pregnant I was taking only benadryl (25 mg). I still get hives every day. If I don't take zyrtec...they are WAY worse. I am also back on the birth control pill...which I wonder is such a good idea as they seem to have gotten even worse. I am looking forward to hearing any suggestions any of you may have, and I will do the same. Take care.

Hi,
It hs been great reading through all of your experiences and suggestions.
I have been experiencing rash like symptoms for almost three years now. They occur on the backs of my hands and my fingers. It began when I started working in the school system, and so I assumed (and was told) that it was contact dermatitis caused by washing my hands too often. HOWEVER, after reading your posts I realized that I had been on birth control pills for @ 10 years and had just gone off of them @ 6 months prior to having the symptoms, and had gotten pregnant @ 4 months prior. My husband has been suggesting the link between the preganancies (I've had another cutie pie since then http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif, and breast feeding and the rashes. It sounds like my symptoms could be hormone related.

What pushed us to find this thread is that about three weeks ago my finger rash (I've eliminated the rash at times using Clobatesol, a very strong topical streroid), is back really bad (weeping and itching something awful until it bleeds), and now I have an acne looking rash on my chest and nipples. Ouch. The derm has me on Bactroban and Elidel for my fingers. I also use the same on my chest and have to gently clean it off with warm water before each time I nurse. I tried Benedryl last night and it did nothing. I go back to work in a couple of days and am dreading having to pump on my short breaks with this regime.

Short story long...

My questions are:
* *Is going on the pill the same as HRT? If so would the "minipill", (o.k. for nursing mothers) possibly help as well? (it sounds, thought, like the pill may make it worse...)

** is APIC an acronym for something?

THANKS!

All people who suffer from Chronic Hives listen up!

Here's my situation. I'm an Asian male age 34. Never have had any health issues except some hay fever in the spring. I'm a health and excercise nut. I would say I'm way above average health for my age. I eat mostly natural and organic foods, do yoga, meditate, and get regular massages for relaxation.


Back in August I got stung by a white faced hornet in the face while playing frisbee golf. That was on a Saturday afternoon. There was a red bump like a mosquito bite and it seemed like no big deal. 3 days later Monday at 6am I had a massive explosion of hives. This continued for a few days and then subsided. Two weeks later I was stung again by a yellow jacket playing frisbee golf again. Same thing. Hives Monday morning.

So I got online and researched insect sting allergies and read that in rare cases there can be a delayed reaction. I made an appt. with an allergist and got tested for different bee venoms. I tested positive for all of them. Seemed like that was it. I bought an Epi pen and I was to begin immunology with bee serum. 3 weeks later when the doc was about to order the $2,500.00 serum, I had more explosions of hives almost always in the morning just after waking up.

The doctor said that the body breaks down bee venom in about 10 days max and so that couldn't be it but he still thought I should still do the immunology. Strange?

I turned my diet inside out and upsie down. At first I thought it was peanut, then soy, then alcohol. They hives became chronic and worsened to the degree that my face was swelling up and I was having difficulty breathing and feeling very light headed and dizzy. These are all signs of a severe reaction but nothing I changed in my diet seemed to affect it.

Finally it hit me like a ton of bricks. I realized what it was. It was and is my job. I'm allergic to my job. It's purely psychosomatic. I told my doctor this and he said: "Well we'd all like to get rid of our jobs now wouldn't we!" He wouldn't buy it. I was standing in his office covered with giant Utricaria and he said it was probably peanut. I told him I hadn't eaten any peanut for 2 weeks.

It's not so much that it is my job more than it is my mental state of mind. After reading all of the posts here I'm finding that most people are looking for a specific allergen and not considering their mental state of mind or psychosomatic influences.

My feeling is that my mental state is causing me to be allergic to probably all of the common allergens. I've been taking Hydroxozine twice a day. My symptoms were so severe that I thought I would die from anaphyalactic shock unless I kept taking the Hydroxozine. The Hydroxozine has been working fine with hardly a hint of drowsyness so thats fine for now but I do not consider that a viable option for my future to be taking that for the rest of my life.

Let me explain my psychosomatic theory. Westen medicine still can't explain why acupuncture works when it has been used successfully for 7,000 years in China. One of the largest failures of western medicine is in understanding how the mind affects not only the immune system but the entire body.

Earlier there was a previous posting saying something to the affect that there was this guy who was only getting hives on Sunday. The families first conclusion was that it was psychosomatic being that he dreaded going to church and so that's why he got hives. Then they realized that his wife was baking fresh bread on Saturday and the hives occured on Sunday. They concluded that the hives were indeed caused by the bread.

My feeling is that they were caused by BOTH. I can't imagine that Saturday was the only day he ate bread. There must have been bread left over on Sunday which means he should have gotten hives on Monday as well. See what I'm getting at? The psychosomatic stress and dread of going to church was then triggered by a common food allergen. My feeling is that if he quit going to church, eating the bread on Saturday would have no ill effect.

Here is the description of my mental state:

I am an extremely Right Brain type of person. All my talent and skills are with Art and Music. It's almost to the point that I could almost be considered Autistic but I'm not. I'm just extremely right brained. I was a lousy student even though I managed to get a college degree in Art, I struggled like hell with math and all the other nonsense I had to put up with in school. The problem with all of this is that in today's world, artists don't really fit in. The job market is based mostly on business skills, engineering, computer science, etc. I've hated every job I've ever had. I've gravitated towards doing graphic design and web design but never really cared for sitting in a cubicle under flourescent lights all day but I put up with it.

During the past few years I have been freelancing around working for different companies for months or even a year at a time. This worked well because when I got laid off a job, I could collect unemployment until I found something suitable.

Then I got a call about an enginneering tech position at the local power company. The money was good but the best thing was that it was a very short commute. I took the job because it was supposed to be a 6 month contract. Now I'm 2 months away from having worked there for 3 years. This is by far the most miserably boring job I've ever had. What I didn't know was that power company jobs are like gov't jobs. They never end. I've been hoping to get laid off but it just hasn't happened. After the big dot com crash there haven't been too many options so I stayed. So what I've been doing is trying to build some fine are projects at home on weekends.

To make a long story short, I'm a right brained artist stuck in an electrical engineering company. I"ve been telling myself to just hang with it until I get my other stuff going but these things take time. So what I have done essentially is driven myself into full blown Anaphylactic mayhem. The day to day drudgery of working this miserable job has worn me down to the point that my body has creatively figured out a way to force me out.

Interesting isn't it? So what is my solution? Desperate times call for desperate measures. My doctor sure as hell not gonna sign me up for a workman's comp program. He wants to milk me and my insurance company for thousands of dollars over the next 9 months testing me for this and for that. In the meantime the only thing keeping me alive is taking Hydroxozine twice a day.

So what I did the day I came to this realization is that I went straight down to the bank and applied to refinance my house. I've only owned for 2 years so I don't have that much equity but my credit is stellar so it's looking like a go. I'm taking out a chunck of dough so I can take some time off, work on my own fine art projects and work out some other potential job opportunities. This is a relatively easy solution for me because I'm 34, single, no kids. I can imagine that a guy supporting a wife and 3 kids at home would have a more difficult time making this transition. You have to do what you have to do!

Are you still not convinced? I'll offer you another little anecdote. I told my accupunturist this entire story. She immediately bounced back with a story about one of her ex boyfriends. She told me that her ex boyfriend was severely sexually and physically abused when he was13 at home by some family relative. The kid developed hives and it continued to get worse until it became chronic like me. The doctors told him he was allergic to peanut, and this and that, and practically everything under the sun. Well finally the abuse was so bad that the kid just ran away from home and has never been back since.

An unexpected result of that change was that in 3 days his hives were gone and gone for good. The kid did not run away thinking that would stop the hives. He ran away to get away from the abuse, and thereby eliminated the allergen. His immune system found away to signal to him to get the hell away from his situation and he finally responded.

Another reason I think my hives are psychosomatic is that I had a previous job that I grew to hate and by the end of a year I developed a nasty rash behind my knees that turned into this nasty itchy giant scab that wouldn't go away. I saw every dermatologist in town and they all said they didn't know what it was. I turned my diet inside out and upsie down and could never figure it out. Finally I got laid off, went on unemployment and within 2 days it was gone. I never suspected at all that it was job related or psychosomatic. The body finds creative ways to give you signals. Western medicine seeks to treat the symptoms. I believe now that most disease begins in the mind or with the state of mind.

As of today I still have not quit my job. I haven't got the loan from the bank yet. The bank must verify employment before they hand over any money. I am not planning to quit until I have the check in my hand. After that I am outta there! I'm 100% sure that I will make a full recovery from this mess however if after several weeks I still have hives, then I will have no more health insurance through work and will have to pay doctors out of my own pocket so this move does have some risk. I am more than willing to take that risk and you all better belive that when it's over, I'm going to document the entire thing and publish it online so other people who are suffering from this nightmare can tune into my experience.

I'm not suggesting to all you people who have hives that it's entirely in your head. In many cases it could be a specific external allergen. I think it is a good idea to explore all the options before making any drastic decisions. The whole reason for my post here today is that I think the medical establishment and most people way underestimate the psychosomatic relationship.

My personal feeling is that my specific chronic urticaria is being caused by my frustrated mental state. It's a feeling of having so much I want to do but can't because I don't have the time. I feel that this mental state is causing me to have a heightened sensitivity to all common allergens. In my case, I may as well be allergic to water and oxygen. If that's the case, then I'm a dead man right? Wrong! Free your mind from mental slavery and see what happens. In some cases it could be abuse, in some cases it could be a horrible marriage. In my case it's my job. Everyone is different. I'm offering my experience and thoughts on this matter because I have read very little here and anywhere else online about the psychosomatic relationship between the mind and the immune system.

My suggestion for all you people out there with chronic urticaria and hives is to really analyze and step back and take a look at your life. Do you have an overwhelming feeling of frustration about some aspect of your life? Don't be afraid to thing outside the box. Don't rule out external allergens either. It's important to research both but in many cases I belive it is both psychosomatic and common allergens that are causing the problem.

I hope this helps. When this is all over for me I will be publishing a complete report online. I will check back at this site to see if others have anything to add. When I get more developments I will post again so stay tuned and stay hopeful. Keep your minds open and I believe you can all solve this problem! Good luck!

Steve

Ok. I took several steps back and in my case, the hives I get have been in the least stressfull times of my life. I did not get them when I have moved several times, changed jobs, got married, had kids, or even been through a suicide of a close family member. I had them in high school for while and thought maybe it was due to living with a crazy man my mom was married to but they went away long before he moved out. I have had this round of hives since last November. Everyone asked if I was stressed over the holidays......hummm, holidays passed and I still have them. Summer is my favorite time of the year and I was not working then and still had them. Still had them on a very ralaxing vacation. I have a very easy job at my kids school now and only three hours a day. Still I have them. I have two easy kids. No behavior problems and both are great in school. I have the best hubby in the world! Hum, still have them. I would love to go get a nice relaxing massage and even tried that once. Hives the next day everywhere I was touched. I am not poor, and I have anything that I really need. Great church! Great family and I am usually very happy. What gives me stress and makes me miserable is when I have these stupid hives that are swollen and keep me up at night and I really don't like looking splotchy when I wear shorts or a swim suit. I can't buy new shoes without paying the price the night I wear them and into the next day. I can't go to the gym and work out and fatigue any muscles or I will be sore the next day and that is what gives me stress. I am happy that you have found the anwswer to your problems and I wish mine would go away over night too. I even thought for a couple of weeks this past summer that they were gone but I am still searching for answers. I have tried all the antihistamines and done steriods 5 or 6 times. That is the only thing that made them go completly away till I had to taper down to a lower dose. Almost done with this last round now and I just started sulfasalizine last week. I still have hives. On my feet today, knee yesterday, who knows where tomorrow. I feel them long before I see them. I get hives internally too. Even been tested for strep a few times but it was only hives. Sat in church one day with my stomach aching so bad I wanted to cry. It was probably hives. I try not to complain and most of the people I see all the time have no idea what is going on with me. I get tired of explaining it. Then when I tell people I have them. They say......well, have you changed soaps, laundry soap, or are you anxious about something. I just want to scream. I am not allergic to anything that anyone can figure out. My thyroid is fine, I don't have lupus, cancer or anything else that the Dr's can draw blood to check for. I know others are in the same boat with no answers with me. I just wish it was a smaller boat so that it would go faster and find a cure soon. Thanks for listening and good luck to you in being hive free and normal again!

My sister has hives. She only gets them in the Fall & Spring when exposed to the sun. Only the skin that is exposed to the sun will get solid red & this can happen driving the car or sitting by a window. So, her hives affect her hands, face, & neck. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif
Once Tanned, she has NO hive reaction!???
Once she is indoors and away from the sun, her hives disappear about 30-60 minutes later.
Spicey foods also give her a red face. Any feedback would be appreciated. Confused & doctors have not helped.

Hi Everyone and Hairdooer,
First I want to let hairdooer know Hogan is back on the boards. Check the other topics.
I have had hives for 20 years but worse in the past 6 or 7. I have DPU and CU. It is well known that psychological factors play into the hives but it is really hard to detach yourself from the frustration and anger about this conditions. I am not sure that the mind can create this but I do beleive it helps it to continue. No one can be at their best physically when they are dragged down mentally. Right now I am feeling pretty stressed and down so my hives are worse. I have had to quit work recently and have gotten a little better but I have to say I expected like the other person to get better when I quit work. I too thought it was my stressor but come to find out I am over a month off and not that much better. It could be all the paperwork I have to fill out for disability but I am not seeing a cure any time soon just because I reduced my stress. I think this condition gives us stress not the other way around. Just my thought. Take care, Navy

In all the research I have been doing the past year I have come up with a few things that are very interesting. First I guess I should tell you that I have never really ever had to many allergies. Nothing to write about anyway. I have two kids that seem to have inherated allergies from both sides of the family. My hubby has always had allergy problems. He did his own allergy shots for 6 years, 4 a week. Anyway, my girl has a severe peanut allergy. Like the next time could kill her. We have the eppipens at home and school. She is also allergic to dogs, cats and rabbits. Son has asthma. Allergic to dogs too. His asthma is not too bad. Triggered by colds mostly. He also has problems mostly in the winter. October is the beginning to his doing breathing treatments every year. He had soccer practice today and it was cold here. He ran alot in about 40 minutes and I had to drive very fast to get him home to do a treatment. We got his breathing under control and he is fine now. Both kids take daily allergy meds. Anyway, I guess my point is that I have come up with some information that links peanut allergy, and asthma together. It also links those together with hives. One site talked about a new medicine that is being used in the treatment for severe asthma. It is a anti-IgE antibody agent. It is a injection that has to be given at the Doctor office. No pills yet but it sounds promising enough to get my attention. It works by blocking the bodies IgE factors that trigger allergy attacks and that should stop any reaction at all. The side affects are minor but it seems to be still in the research process.
So my question to all is.....anyone else have family with asthma, food allergies that are severe? And anyone heard of this drug..Xolair/ Omanlizumab? Maybe helpfull to stopping hives in the future!!

I just did a post on EPD> or Enzyme Potentiated Desensitization treatments. It may be something to check into for chronic hives. Not to sure about it yet but wanted to pass on the info. Kinda like allergy shots but different from what I have read so far. Anyone know anything about it?

HI Hairdooer,
I have not heard of this but just saw a naturapath and pharmacist and he has put me on enzymes as he thinks I have poor absorbtion and eating habits so I have started his regimin (2 days ago) and I must say I feel worse in a way. It feels like everything is just flushing out and I have had headaches and a lot of bowel sounds so I guess it could work. I know it sounds a little contradictory to say I feel worse and it may be working but I would think you have to get rid of toxins and parasites or whatever is in your gut and it can't feel good to be ridding yourself of toxins, at least I hope it is helping.... Take care and will let you know. Navy :angel:

I just did a post on EPD> or Enzyme Potentiated Desensitization treatments. It may be something to check into for chronic hives. Not to sure about it yet but wanted to pass on the info. Kinda like allergy shots but different from what I have read so far. Anyone know anything about it?

HIVES AND ALLERGIES....oh i could go on about these forever and what problems they've caused me all my life.
i've had hives, eczema, dermatitis in nearly every form, psoriasis, you name it for as long as i can remember. at 15 i developed hay fever and at 16 asthma. family history of skin allergies, and it hit me real hard, for a period of 2 years the countless doctors couldn't make all my skin problems go away. things are a lot more controlled now with environmental changes, better medicines, etc.
i cannot and have not been tested for what i am allergic to, too risky with my skin allergies
i still hope they will attempt to make the same advances they do for asthma in terms of finding a more permanent answer for those who really suffer

Quote "I know that the hives started with a hormone problem. I kept telling my OBGYN that I got hives mid-cycle around the time I should ovulate. She said that didn't have anything to do with it.

So about 9 years later I had a full-blown hormone testing done and found I am severely estrogen and progesterone deficient.
I take HRT and it helps some with the hives and much with the other symptoms of hormone problems. But I still get hives sometimes. " Quote

Kathy- How did you get your DR to test for hormones and what kind of DR did you see? I Believe mine are caused by hormones too i get them during that time of the month and during ovulation. my DR's laugh when i tell them my "theory" but now i know i am not the only one out there!! Thanks in advance! :angel:

I've only ever had hives once, and that was during my most severe allergic reaction. I was in fourth grade, and my friend offered me a cookie her father had made. I was still too young to cautiously question if it had nuts, so I ate it. Big mistake. The rest of the school day, I had swelling throat, horrible cramps, and itching. On the bus ride home, I looked under my shirt to find my stomach completely covered in hives. Not a good day. Had to go to the doctor and get medicine. I think my allergy is severe- not life-threatening like anaphalaxis, but more severe than most. That was the only time I ever got hives because I've been able to stop the reaction in time since then. Recently, at school, I ate another cookie, and even though I was told that they didn't have nuts, I literally knew a minute after. I ran to the nurse and got a Benadryl and went home for the rest of the day because I felt awful. It took me hours to stabilize... stupid walnuts! :rolleyes:
-GatsbyLuvr1920-

I got hives after taking birth control pills but it took a while to figure out what caused them. I developed increased sensitivity to a lot of things after those pills that I will never take again. I tried using herbs to help as well but they made things worse. The only thing that ended up working for me was doing a couple of liver & gall bladder flushes with epsom salt mixed with water followed by olive oil & grapefruit juice mixed. Before I did these I had rashes on my hands that wouldn't heal & the hives on my inner thighs but after I did the flushes the rashes & hives have not returned at all which is great. I also try to avoid ingredients like propylene glycol because I realized that would inflame the hives when I had them so now I know for me what works to eliminate them & what to avoid so they hopefully never come back. Please be careful with things like Nettle, Echinacea, Saw Palmetto, Milk Thistle, Chaste Berry, & other herbs because many of them can make the problem worse. Flushes are something a lot of Doctors don't talk to patients about but they should because there are a lot of benefits to doing them & they kick start your liver & kidneys by removing toxins that many of us would never believe are in our bodies. I became a believer after I did my 1st flush. When I feel the need to do another one I will but so far no problems with hives or anything like that.

Apparently my parents recall me never having hives before I took a dosage of penicillin. Obviously this is the culprit as it happened both times I tried the penicillin. I'm just wondering why I didn't hear of this sooner. Has anyone ever heard of a connection between penicillin and hives. What about ways in which I could be absorbing penicillin everyday. thanks alot.

I have never heard of the connection between penicillin and hives but I am allergic to penicillin, since my first child, I think. I have also had hives for about 20 years. Maybe they began after the penicillin, hmmm, you could be on to something.

I have had hives for about 20 years. They come and go. I've tried to find a connection with what I was eating and wrote down for years what I ate before the hives would begin. I am thinking now that they might be related to colds. When the seasons change and everyone has runny noses and coughs I wind up with hives. I take no medication. I tried taking benydril, but if I take anything with a histamine, my tongue dries and is blistered for days.
Thanks chaoui, for the liver discussion, I'll certainly eat sweet potatoes soon.

I've suffered from hives.. since I was in the 5th grade. I am 35 right now.. so it has been going on for a while. They come and go every 7 years and this year I started getting them in May 05. I did go to my doctor and they did notice that my thyroid levels were off. I was diagnosed with hashimotos (autoimmune thyroditis) and put on synthroid. I thought this would alleviate the hives... but they are still as awful as can be. I take every anti-histamine under the sun and starting taking predisone this morning..after a trip to the emergency room! I am thinking about going towards Western Medicine to get rid of these hives.. any thoughts..